Man Who Ploughed Through LFC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
A former Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” when he mowed down scores of LFC fans during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The footage was deeply disturbing.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors warned those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “expletives” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
During questioning, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video showed Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
